New Ducks...

I am thinking about taking in 3 Pekin ducks for the winter. They are out in the cold freezing with no type of shelter. It's been getting down to below zero so I have to do something for them.

I have 2 Pekin ducks right now, a male and a female. I am not sure of the sex of the other 3 that I probably will take in. My question is, is there a way I should have them meet? I'm worried about fighting and my ducks getting hurt. Idk if ducks are territorial like dogs are or what to expect. Any advice??

If you do take them in, they'll need to be kept separate from your ducks. You never know if they're carrying some type of illness. I'm not sure how long it would take until you'd know it was safe to expose them to your ducks. I do know that if you'd want to eventually integrate them into your existing flock, you'd do it gradually. Continue to keep them physically separate, but where they could see each other at first. Gives them a chance to get used to each other without the potential threat of physical contact.

I hope you can help them out so they aren't completely exposed to the elements. It's nice of you to consider their well being.

If they are in the same area, they are likely fine, but if you're interested in keeping them without worrying about diseases let them see each other through a fence first. Ducks normally aren't too aggressive. I don't know about pekins though, I've never had them. When I introduce new ducks I let them see each other and then if they aren't trying to fight neck each other through the fence then I let them in. I've never had any issues. Ducks are a lot easier to integrate than chickens. They may do a quick bite or neck for a little bit, but by the end of the day it's like they have always been there.

Always good to have help trying to figure out things like that. I'm no good at it either.

I'm curious...do you know where those ducks came from or who they belong to? I'll sure keep my fingers crossed. I'm a big softy when it comes to critters as well.

Yes I found out the owners are. And they don't take care if their animals. At spring when they got the ducks, there were 5. They were put outside with a really small house that they all won't fit in. One went missing over the summer and then one froze to death in the past 48 hours if that. The owners also had 2 goats freeze to death. When questioned what they normally do with the ducks in the winter the response was they usually die and we buy more in the spring. These ducks aren't even a year old yet.

I did take the ducks in. Taking the advice from here we did put up a baby gate in the shed to keep them separated and so they can still see and get used to each other. We tried it first with us in the shed with them and Pecker(my male) and one of the new ones fought with each other for a few minutes. Then after awhile the new 3 went to their own corner and my 2 went to their own. So we went outside and peeked in the window and as soon as we walked out the new 3 started chasing my 2 around and it was pure craziness. So that's when we put the gate up. Once the gate went up, they all seemed to have settled down. We went down an hour later to check and they were all laying next to each other on their sides of the fence. Really hoping this works out for all of them!!!

Can anyone tell me what kind of ducks they are? I know the white one is a Pekin, but not sure about the other 2.

Thanks! We have them separated still. So 2 days separated with a gate in the middle so they can see each other. It's a work in progress. Last night we opened the gate so we could see what they would do. And the gray duck is a male and he fights with my male. So we are still keeping them separated when we aren't down there with them. Today I went down and the gray duck stuck his beak through a hole in the baby gate and pecker(my male) walked over and they touched beaks and walked away. So I'm thinking progress is in the making and hoping they will start to get along so we can take the gate down.